


the Justicar's Oath

by AirieNSFW (Airie)



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Creampie, Crushes, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Futanari, Happy Ending, Impregnation, MILFs, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:28:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25942114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Airie/pseuds/AirieNSFW
Summary: En Route for the Omega-4 relay, FemShep is visited in her private quarters by Justicar Samara. The Justicar, impressed with Shepard's honor and efficiency, offers her some company, to help the Comannder focus before their mission.---Shepard can be of any background/class/appearance, but she is a 100% Paragon
Relationships: Samara/Female Shepard (Mass Effect)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 76





	the Justicar's Oath

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lewdsmokesoldier](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lewdsmokesoldier/gifts).



Stars twinkled past the glass ceiling above Shepard’s bed. The Commander laid motionlessly in her pristine white sheets, staring at them for the past… Shit, what time was it?

“EDI, what’s our ETA?” She asked, sitting up, overtaken by sudden anxiety.

The ship AI’s holographic avatar instantly appeared on the nightstand display to her right. “Three more hours before we reach the Omega-4 Relay, Shepard.” EDI reported in her trademark matter-of fact tone. “Do you need me to arrange anything for you in the meantime?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

The blue hologram vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving the Commander alone with her thoughts. Three hours until they reach the Relay. Three hours before their suicide mission. Shepard’s feet rested on the soft acrylic fiber carpet. She exhaled a tired sigh, resting her forehead on her folded hands. She was never uncertain or anxious during a mission, that always came to torture her before. She hated that feeling. She could use a walk, but the Normandy offered little in terms of tranquil scenery. She could also use a stiff drink, but she needed her mid sharp for the most important mission of her life. And… possibly her last. 

She rubbed her thighs together, realizing she could also use a good fuck. There were several people on the ship, who would kill for a chance to sleep with her, but a hookup was out of the question. As frustrated as she was from lack of genuine intimacy, she was too principled to resort to fraternization. She was the Commanding Officer, she had to stay professional and pretend to ignore the candid looks she was getting from her crewmates – from the low-ranking engineers to her closest squadmates. Some of said looks were full of admiration, some tender and affectionate and some shamelessly lewd. Come to think of it, the overwhelming majority of them were of the lewd kind, and Shepard wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

“So, masturbation it is.” She quietly muttered, getting up to go take a hot shower and blow off some steam. 

The bathroom’s automated doors closed behind her without the faintest sound. Quickly, Shepard took off her crew uniform and underwear. Cerberus had several advantages over the Alliance in terms of comfort and equipment, one of them being the softest, most snug underwear she had ever worn in her military career. 

Stark naked and frustrated, she entered the shower. She pressed a few buttons on the digital display, setting the right temperature. Hot water poured on her head and body in a high-pressure cascade, filling the small room with steam. Now did she realize how tense her shoulders were. She reached for the bottle of shower gel, generously lathering her hands and letting them wander her perfectly toned body to work out the kinks accumulated in her muscles. 

A quiet ‘mmm’ escaped her mouth when her hands slid down her neckline and chest, pausing to cup her breasts. She gave herself a not so gentle massage, then pinched and tugged her nipples, realizing how thick and tender they were. Yeah, it was a while since she gave herself some attention. Supporting her back against the wall, she slid her legs apart. Slowly, her hands went down her flat stomach, past the finely trimmed strip below the navel. Her lips parted as her hands went lower, her fingers stroking, rubbing and prodding…

“Ahh… fuck.” She whispered, testing how many fingers she could push inside without much preparation. Two, but with a little bit more work she could fit in three. 

“Shepard” EDI’s voice sounded in the tight quarters, startling the Commander, “you have a visit request from Justicar Samara.”

“Wha-now?!” The Commander grunted, pulling her fingers out of her wanting pussy. “Let her in and tell her I’ll be right with her!”

Quickly, Shepard shut the water off and walked out the shower, scrambling around the bathroom for her clothes. Why was Samara visiting her? The Justicar rarely left her favorite meditation spot at the observation deck. Did something happen? 

Wet and with her clothes flung on haphazardly, the Commander stepped out of the bathroom and practically slammed into the Asari’s back, as Samara was standing tall and still before the impressive fish tank, observing the colorful fish Shepard had collected over the past weeks.

“It seems I have interrupted you.” Samara greeted, unaffected by the impact. She turned around to face the hostess, her spiritual face inscrutable. “I apologize.”

“No need to be sorry, I wasn’t expecting anyone.” Shepard smiled awkwardly, instantly lost in the Justicar’s big, pale-blue eyes. “Did you need anything?”

“I believe you are the one in need Shepard.” Samara stated, resting her slender, yet powerful hand on the Commander’s shoulder. “I came here to offer you my aid.”

Shepard bit down on her lower lip, instantly embarrassed by her own reaction. Although their cultures were drastically different, she was fascinated by the Justicar Order. More so, buy the Justicar herself. She respected and quietly admired Samara, the Asari was as honorable as she was deadly, driven to the point of possibly being a madwoman. And incredibly sexy in the cool, dangerous way she carried herself.

“Samara, you already gave me more aid than you could imagine, you’re a valuable asset to my crew, you-”

“Shepard, please.” The Justicar shook her head ever so slightly, causing Shepard to instantly cease her meaningless babbling. “I come here not as a crewmate, but as a friend.” She stepped to the side, gesturing at the Commander’s living quarters. “May we sit down and talk?”

Feeling her mouth dry, Shepard nodded, too hot under the collar to focus on forming words. Shit, shit, shit! Samara always made her a bit uneasy. Not because of the fact she could kill her in a heartbeat without as much as breaking a sweat, no. The Commander was hopelessly infatuated with the noble warrior, and whenever she was alone with her, she had the irrational fear, that Samara somehow knew.

“So… do you want a drink?” She asked, ignoring the way Samara’s impressive tits bounced under her tight bodysuit, when they both sat town at the cushy leather couch.

“The Justicar Code forbids the consumption of alcohol.” Samara explained calmly.

“Right, so…” Shepard rubbed the back of her head, desperately trying to keep her breathing regular. “What did you want to help me with?” 

“I would like to offer you sexual pleasure, Shepard.”

Heat flashed through the Commander’s face. Did she hear that right? Of course she did, Samara was not the one to make jokes. The amazing Justicar just offered to sleep with her! Oh God, this wasn’t a dream, it was a dream come true, but what about their friendship? What about Samara’s Oath? What prompted this unexpected offer?

“Samara, I am flattered, really. I-I’m more than flattered, you are…” Shepard gulped, nervously rubbing her hands. “You are everything I could ever want in a woman! B-but you must understand, I can’t fraternize with my crew. If word got out…” 

“Shepard, this is not fraternization.” Samara explained patiently, with a hint of a smirk on her dark lips. Her hand rested on the Commander’s lap, sending lightning bolts up the human’s abdomen. “I’m a Justicar, rank means nothing to me. And speaking of being a Justicar and honoring my Oath to you, don’t forget I swore to serve and aid you in whatever way I can. You saw my full combat prowess, but now I wish to provide you with some comfort.”

She leaned closer, her thigh rubbing against Shepard’s. Overwhelmed by so many feelings, the Commander stared into the Justicar’s icy eyes, growing redder in the face with each passing second.

“Breathe, Shepard.” Samara reminded calmly, to which the Commander inhaled sharply. “I am not offering to be your Bondmate, if that is that you are worried about. My Oath expires the moment we defeat the Collectors. But in order to assure our victory, you need to rid yourself of all distractions, just like you helped me get rid of mine.”

“Morinth.”

“Exactly. You…” for a second a frown flashed through Samara’s normally tranquil face, “you helped me with something deeply personal, and I will never forget that. And aside from my own personal distractions, I witnessed you help so many people completely unprompted. You are a paragon and I am honored to call you my ally, which is why I am offering you my company.”

“I’ve been a good girl?” Shepard joked, finally managing to control her breathing. She’s never been up this close with Samara, and she would probably never have the chance to be this close with her ever again. 

“Yes.” Samara smiled. “You have been very good, Shepard. So good, that I will overlook how many times I caught you staring at my chest.” 

“Sorry! I-” She began immediately apologizing, but fell silent as Samara’s arm slung around her shoulders. She gulped, remembering that when faced with a Justicar the best course of action was to come clean. “I really like you, Samara. I know we can’t be together, but I love having you around, even if it’s only temporary and-”

The Justicar shut Shepard up with a kiss. Gentle and with no tongue, just the brush of the lips, but it did the job. Shepard froze for a second, but then she finally did what she wanted to do, not what she should do. Her arms wrapped around Samara’s waist, her head tilted to the side and she kissed back, this time with tongue. Samara pulled her closer, kissing deeply, her tongue so agile and curious. The connection was electrifying, was this how the Melding felt?

“Good, you have great technique, Shepard.” Samara praised, withdrawing to her partner’s visible disappointment.

“Did we… did we just Meld?” Shepard asked, dumbfounded and dizzy. 

The Justicar laughed amused. “No, this was merely a kiss. We did connect for a split-second, so that I could gather some of your genetic code, but we are far from truly Melding.” 

With that, she took Shepard by the wrist, guiding the Commander to rest her hand on her crotch. Shepard’s eyes widened as she felt something… forming under the tight fabric of Samara’s skinsuit.

“What’s going on?” She asked confused, staring down at the Justicar’s crotch, shocked to see that the fabric was evidently bulging, practically ready to burst free. “Is this normal?”

“I’m an Asari, Shepard.” Samara reminded, clearly entertained by the alien’s ignorance. “My people are very adaptable to our partners. When we kissed, I compiled your genetic information as well as feedback from your nervous system, and now my body is adapting to best fit with yours.” Her smile widened, as the bulge practically stretched her suit, threatening to tear the material at any second. “I believe you will find the results more than adequate.” 

Tossing all restraint and inhibitions aside, Shepard gripped and kneaded the bulge, feeling the girth and warmth under the thin polymer material. Samara leaned back, giving in to the human’s tentative strokes.

Shepard’s hands moved up, braving to hook just under where Samara’s shamelessly low neckline ended, which was just below the breasts. She risked and tugged, her finger parting the invisible zipper, as it moved down slowly the length of her abdomen. Mesmerized, she watched the material peel off of Samara’s pale blue skin, exposing that just like humans, Asari had round inward navels. And just like humans, Asari had cocks, though the one that sprung free was a specimen Shepard saw only in the raunchiest of vids. 

“Oh my God…” She whispered in awe, instinctively taking it in her hand, assessing its heft and length from all possible angles. 

“Is this pleasing to you, Shepard?” Samara made sure, parting her legs, so the Commander could assess her sack as well. “I can adjust if needed.”

“No, don’t you dare! This is perfect.” The woman replied greedily. 

Her mouth watered, and the Commander moved to position herself on her knees between Samara’s legs. With both hands, she seized the impressive shaft, jerking the woman off slowly, whilst showering her dark purple crown with affectionate kisses. Three hours would not be enough to thoroughly enjoy this cock! 

On impulse, she reached up, grabbing Samara by the shoulders, roughly pulling at the skinsuit to expose the tits she stared at oh so many times. Greedily, she reached to knead and suckle them, whilst Samara’s erect shaft rubbed between their stomachs, already staining the front of Shepard’s uniform. Asari skin tasted intoxicating, Shepard wondered if there was a grain of truth in the rumor, that Samara’s race was radiating powerful pheromones to subdue other species. She grunted, sucking hard on the Justicar’s thick dark nipple, focusing on Samara instead of idle conspiracy theories.

Wait, was Samara talking? Hesitantly, the Commander looked up and saw that the Justicar’s lips were moving.

“Mmm?” She grunted, mouth still full of delicious blue teat.

“I said, let me undress you Shepard. Stand up.” Samara repeated herself, patiently patting the human on the head. She liked how humans had such dense and luscious hair covering their scalps, Shepard’s locks felt pleasantly smooth sliding between her fingers.

Giving the tender dark blue nub a last quick lick, Shepard obeyed. Samara stood up as well, doing a slight waving gesture at the Commander. To the woman’s surprise, despite no zipper being pulled down and no buckle being undone, her uniform slipped off of her, silently falling to the floor. Did Samara use her martial art skills to tear it off of her? No, after a moment of inspection Shepard determined that was not the case, the clothes seemed to be intact.

“How did you-?”

“Biotics.” The Justicar explained, reaching to seize Shepard by the hips. Her lower lip pouted when their chests brushed. Human skin was intriguing – warmer than any Asari, but not as smooth. Interested, she inspected her partner’s naked form, finding that human females had more similarities with Asari, than any other species she came across. Yet, unlike Asari, humans had hair on their bodies, quite prominent on their crotch region. Intrigued, she brushed her gloved hand against the trimmed strip of Shepard’s pubic hairs, finding that they were thicker than the ones the Commander had on her head.

“Do you like them?” Shepard asked, spreading her legs wider for Samara to get a better look. “A lot of people shave, but I like leaving a strip.”

“So, there is naturally more?” Samara asked intrigued, gently stroking Shepard’s rapidly heating up sex. 

“Yeah. So… do you want to take a closer look?” The Commander offered, taking a step towards the bed, but Samara seized her gently (yet firmly) by the wrist.

“Of course, but we will not be needing a bed.”

“No bed? Couch then? Or-WAH!” Shepard cried, not expecting to have her feet suddenly drift away from the floor. Was the artificial gravity failing? What was going on?! 

“Biotics.” Samara explained yet again, floating in the air herself. “Have you ever enjoyed another like this? Once you don’t have to worry about weight or gravity, the sexual act reaches completely new heights.”

She reached for the Commander’s hand, rotating her, so that she was positioned on top of the Justicar, with her face directly in front of the delicious blue cock. Shepard got busy without much encouragement, sealing her lips around the throbbing crown, seizing the rigid shaft with one hand, and cradling the no less impressive testes with the other. She gave a pleased groan, her head bobbing up and down, doing her best to take the shaft as deep down her throat as possible. 

Meanwhile, Samara focused on the human pussy right in her face. It was alluring, similar to her own species, but with a few variations. Most notably due to the aforementioned pubic hair, but also the shape of the puckered lips, and of the already overflowing entrance. Oddly, human females seem to possess only one clitoris, the poor things. 

Gently, Samara spread Shepard to assess her entrance further, finding that it was tight, almost too tight for the shaft Samara was sporting. Odd, the feedback from the Commander’s nervous system had suggested she wanted a thick, long cock. There was no room for mistake though, the human obviously wanted to taste cock that would leave her gaping. Very well, Samara was going to make sure the Commander’s desires were fulfilled.

Speaking of tasting, human women were full of flavor; from their throbbing clits, the length of their flushed folds, to their tight, quivering cuntholes. Samara stuffed her squirmy tongue inside as deep as she could, ripping from Shepard a muffled cry. Her hands slammed on the human’s ass hard enough to leave red imprints, conjuring another cry. And another when the Justicar risked and slowly inserted her thumbs up the alien’s tight pucker. 

One would think the principled and proper Commander was not into being spanked and having her asshole fingered, but the feedback from her nervous system was positive. Samara smirked, licking and fingering, but also bucking her hips into Shepard’s mouth, causing the other woman to choke and gag, yet still bravely swallow down her impressive shaft. 

Shepard was in heaven. She still couldn’t believe, that Samara of all people would be eating her out, whilst she sucked her off. She could feel her senses melt, not merely due to how skilled the Justicar was with her tongue and fingers, there was something more at play. Something deeply intimate and spiritual. Something, that made her almost burst into joyful tears, when she heard Samara’s calm, measured voice behind her:

“I want to be inside you.” 

“Yes, please! I need you!”

In a gentle, fluid motion, Shepard was positioned, so that she was resting her head on Samara’s breasts, whilst the Justicar took her by the legs, lifting them up and locking her ankles behind her head. The head of the Asari’s hefty cock merely brushed the length of Shepard’s sex, but that was enough for the human to give in and cry. She could feel her core tense, swollen and itching, wanting to have the noble Justicar inside her, and claim her as her own, even if it was just a one-off affair.

“Is this position agreeable with you?”

“Please, oh God, fuck me! I can’t take it anymore, Samara I need your-OOH!” She let out a primal groan, being methodically lowered inch by inch down Samara’s cock, until she was seated on her nuts. Yet even then, Samara pushed her down harder, until Shepard’s cervix was pushed deeper inside her by the Asari’s glans.

Shepard inhaled sharply, shutting her eyes tight. She never had anyone fill her up this deep. Her pussy was so tender, that she could swear she could feel each individual vein on Samara’s cock. And then, it moved inside her, as Samara slowly lifted her up, until only her cockhead was inside. Shepard mewled, wiggling her hips, demanding that this huge alien rod be immediately plunged back inside her, where it belonged.

“You seem to be enjoying this. Are you ready to go harder Shepard?” The Justicar whispered into her ear, and the brave Commander Shepard could not help but shiver. 

“Ruin me.” The human begged, eager and grateful to be demolished by the woman, who she admired and crushed on for so long. 

She could not see the subtle smirk on Samara’s face, as the Asari tightened her grip and impaled her on her cock once again. Her eyes widened and she could see stars, taking the entire thing inside her. Respectful of the Commander’s wishes, Samara commanded a fast, brutal pace, pumping into Shepard relentlessly, her pendulous blue balls swinging with each powerful trust, slapping against the human’s sweaty skin with a loud smack.

“Oh GOD!” Shepard cried, reaching behind to rake her nails against Samara’s back. “OhGODohGOdoh-FUCK!”

Samara did a series of slower, more shallow thrusts, glad to hear, and feel, that the Commander was enjoying herself. It has been almost four centuries since she last tamed anyone’s pussy, and some small part of her rejoiced at the opportunity. Goddess, humans were so hot and could clench so snug. Although this was just one friend repaying another friend for their help and kindness, Samara wanted to do more, to give more. If there was anyone worthy in the known galaxy to be allowed this close, it was Shepard.

Something was shifting, changing. Shepard could feel her entire being flare up, each individual nerve of her body suddenly becoming so… aware, and ready to be shifted into overload. 

“Samara…” The Commander breathed feverishly, craning her head to peer into the woman’s eyes. She inhaled sharply, finding that they’ve changed from icy blue into black, encompassing the Justicar’s entire eye. 

Stars above, they were Melding!

“Embrace Eternity.” The Justicar whispered, still ramming her cock in and out of Shepard’s hungry snatch.

“Samara… I-I lo-!”

The confession was muffled by Samara’s lips and Shepard’s mind went blank, as stars exploded in her head. She could feel Samara inside her, around her, becoming part of her. She made a sound, and could not register if it was a moan or a scream, as Samara spilled herself inside her, flooding Shepard with her love. Was it love? What else could it be? Shepard melted into this overwhelming sensation, which went past anything what a mere human orgasm could feel like. 

For a moment, the two of them were one.

The indescribably good feeling passed gradually, allowing Shepard to slowly ease back into her own body and mind. Slowly, she came back to her senses, realizing she was on her knees, with her sweaty face resting on her discarded clothes. Samara’s hands were holding her by the hips, whilst the Justicar was slowly withdrawing herself from Shepard’s thoroughly tenderized snatch. Shepard mewled in weak protest, as the head pulled out of her with a plop, causing Samara’s abundant load to pour out of her and ruin the carpet. 

But the Justicar wasn’t done with her yet, as the throbbing, still hard tip of Samara’s cock prodded Shepard’s neglected asshole. It seemed the Justicar hadn’t had enough.

“Yesss…” Shepard groaned, reaching back to spread herself for Samara. “My ass… c-claim it!”

Samara pushed her cockhead past the tight, quivering ring, smoothly entering the Commander’s rear. Shepard cursed, arching her back, pushing her ass against the woman. Suddenly, with no Biotics involved, she was effortlessly lifted up by the hips, scrambling for support on her outstretched arms. Samara began dispensing slow, yet powerful thrusts, crashing her hips into the Commander’s pillowy rear, sending ripples up the bouncy cheeks. Shepard felt she was going cross-eyed with each veiny inch disappearing inside her, then withdrawing with agonizingly slow pace. The numb discomfort was also there, but what else should she expect from such abundance of cock?

She was going to come again soon.

Grateful for the Justicar’s firm grip, she spread her quivering legs apart, groaning and grunting like an animal, encouraging Samara to fill her up from the back as well. Samara released her suddenly, Shepard’s knees hit the soft carpet with a thud. Instead, the Justicar took Shepard by the shoulders, roughly hilting herself in the snug, supple ass, her hefty sack resting against the human’s wet, gaping pussy.

She came for the second time, coating Shepard’s insides white. The Commander let out an undignified grunt of pleasure and strain, whilst her ass and pussy both clenched and culminated in sweet release. Samara rested on her flat, smothering with her weight, still unloading into the Commander. Shepard kept whispering sweet words of encouragement and thank you, until Samara’s shaft stopped throbbing and the Justicar had no more seed to offer her.

Samara withdrew, peeling her soft blue skin off Shepard’s sweaty back. Numb and exhausted, the Commander rolled on her back, another generous gush flowing out of her. Looking up, she was presented with the image of Samara squeezing out the last drop of cum, letting it drip onto the Commander’s chest, then stuffing her slowly shrinking erection back into her skinsuit and zip it up.

“Are you satisfied?” The Justicar asked, observing the human for any signs for discomfort. “Please, do not strain yourself with speaking, only nod if you are pleased.”

Shepard closed her eyes and nodded. There was no reply, only the subtle sound of her cabin’s door opening, then closing. 

“EDI? How long?” She asked after a longer moment of contemplation, daring to try and stand up. 

“Thirty minutes.” The AI replied, appearing on the ceiling’s display.

Only half an hour?! She and Samara were fucking for over two hours? With a low grunt, Shepard stretched and rubbed her lower abdomen. Yea, with the way how sore and gaping she was left, she could believe that.

She wiped the tears still lingering in the corners of her eyes, her face setting into an adamant look. She had to focus on other matters now. In less than an hour she and her squad were going to go up against a threat to the entire known galaxy. 

And she was ready for it. 

\---

The Suicide Mission was a success. The Collector Base along with their Reaper larvae was blown up, whilst the Normandy managing to escape through the Omega-4 Relay in the nick of time. No crew lives were lost. The Illusive Man was pissed, but Shepard couldn’t care less. After a brief celebration, the Normandy SR-2 docked on the Citadel, allowing all non-Alliance crew to depart. Then, Shepard set a course for Earth to surrender herself and the ship to the Alliance. 

She was awaiting her trial, when she realized she was pregnant. Less than six months later she delivered a healthy Asari girl in the System Alliance military hospital in Toronto.

\---

“Hope.” The Commander said softly, rocking a new life in her arms. “That’s your name.”

The infant stared back at her with her big, icy blue eyes and gave a drooling smile. Shepard’s eyes filled with tears and she cradled her baby against her chest, doing her best to control sobbing. 

A lot of strange things happened to her during those past few years. The Prothean Cypher, communing with the Thorian, getting blown into space and then being miraculously brought back to life. But nothing beat getting knocked up by an Asari. She didn’t question how or why it happened, more preoccupied with the grim knowledge of what kind of world she had brought her daughter into. A world with Reapers, ready to start their invasion and extermination at any moment.

“I’m so sorry, baby.” She whispered, laying her daughter in her cradle. “You deserve so much better.” 

Hope babbled, more preoccupied with the brightly colored toys dangling over her crib. The Commander shook her head, heading to crash on the couch for some quick shut-eye. Anderson and Hackett had to pull a lot of strings to move her from her cell to this heavily secured apartment, and keep things under wraps the moment she realized she was pregnant. She was grateful, but would be happier, if they could give her some info about her scheduled trial.

“Pending visitation request.” A mechanical voice of a VI announced, snapping her out of uneasy sleep.

“Shit.” She grunted, rubbing her face. “From who?”

“The individual identified themselves as Justicar Samara. Accept or deny?”

“Accept!” The Commander said, leaping off the couch.

Samara? Here and now of all places? How did she know? Did anyone in the Alliance brass tell her? Stupid question, of course not, Shepard was keeping a tight lip about who knocked her up. Then, how? And why did she come? Did she want to see her child? Did she… care?

The automated doors slid apart, revealing the Justicar. Their eyes met, Shepard froze feeling a hole in her chest. Samara was impossible to read, she seemed neither overjoyed, nor angered. Merely cool and poised, the way she always was.

“You look well, Shepard.” The Justicar greeted, crossing the threshold. “May I see our child?” She asked, halting a pace away from the Commander, her voice respectful and measured, far from an excited tone one would expect from a new parent.

She didn’t care. This was only a formality.

“Who told you? Anderson and Hackett are keeping a tight lid on this.”

“No one. I felt it the moment she drew her first breath. I cannot explain it, but despite us being star systems apart, I just knew.” She explained, still like a statue. “I contacted David Anderson and asked to see you. He was wise enough to allow my request.”

Sensing tension in the air, Hope started crying. Shepard rushed to her cradle, scooping the newborn in her arms. She turned around with the child clutched close to her chest, glad to see that Samara remained in place. She nodded, beckoning the Justicar to come closer. Samara approached, her high heels clacking on the floor tiles. She leaned slightly over the two, her finger gently running against the baby’s plump cheek. As if sensing the familial bond, the little Asari grabbed her other parent’s finger, letting out a gurgled coo.

Samara smiled. It wasn’t her polite, amused smirk. This was… tenderness.

“Her name is Hope. I thought the name fitting, despite our circumstances.” Shepard explained. “She has your eyes.”

“She is beautiful… And strong.” Samara assessed, lifting her gaze to look at Shepard. “I am relieved.” 

“Why did you come?” Shepard asked, opting to be direct. 

“I am a Justicar. And a Justicar never shrinks from her duty.” Samara explained, unaffected by the Commander’s hostile tone. 

“What duty? You Oath expired the moment we defeated the Collectors, you’re no longer bound to me. And Justicars can’t have families, yet here you are! Why?”

The corners of the Asari’s lips twitched ever so slightly. Or was that a trick of the light? 

“I came here as your friend and ally, just as I came to you shortly before our final mission. I am here to help you and Hope.”

“How?”

Samara stepped back, making sure to gently slip her finger out of Hope’s curious grasp. “The galaxy needs Commander Shepard focused and determined.” She explained, putting her hands behind her back, the way she always did when outlining an issue. “You have a powerful enemy to face, but you can’t do so, while constantly worrying whether Hope is safe. I want to help you protect her.” 

“What are you proposing?” Shepard asked, tensing up. She was still fatigued after delivery, so she cautiously sat down on the couch with the baby, whilst Samara remained standing.

“Your planet is not safe, neither is Thessia. The Reapers are going to hit the homeworlds first.” Samara assessed, her eyes once again shifting from Shepard to Hope. “I do however know of a research station on the fringe of Asari space.”

“You want to take her away?!” Shepard gasped, tightening her grip around Hope.

“I swear to you, that she will be safe and taken care of, so that you and I can fight for her future. And when this is all over, you can take her back home.” Samara assured, daring to sit at the opposite end of the couch. “And if you give your life for the fight, I promise that I will do my very best to watch over Hope.”

“Justicars are not supposed to have families.” Shepard reminded bitterly.

“Justicars are supposed to protect the innocent.” Samara corrected. “She is innocent, and I would give my life to protect her, just as you would.”

Silently, Shepard looked down at her daughter’s soft face. She would kill and die for her, and believed that Samara would do the same. She dared look up at the Justicar, inching closer. Samara shuffled closer herself, until they met halfway.

“And what if we both survive this?” She dared ask, boldly peering into those icy-blue eyes.

“Then, I will come for you Shepard.” Samara said unblinkingly, tilting her head to the side, whilst resting her hand over Shepard’s on the blanket their daughter was wrapped in. “I cannot make any promises, but your and Hope’s wellbeing are important to me. You have my word, my Oath, that I will protect the both of you until my last dying breath.”

With that, she pulled her arm around Shepard’s shoulders. Instinctively, Shepard drew closer, resting her head on Samara’s shoulder. Closing her eyes, she let out a long sigh. This was nice, exactly what she needed after months of being left alone.

The future was uncertain, but she was prepared to fight for whatever future it may be. But for now, she just wanted to rest with Samara and Hope in tranquil silence for as long as she could.


End file.
